From Opus

Male Brown Goshawk
Photo by Tom Tarrant

Alternative name: Australian Goshawk

Accipiter fasciatus

[edit] Identification

Grey or brown upperparts, brown head, rufous brown collar, white underparts barred rufous, dark brown wings, buff below, grey dark barred tail, yellow legs, rufous thighs, yellow iris. Males smaller. Juveniles - brown streaked plumage, grey brown iris.

[edit] Distribution

Indonesia and Australasia. Breeds on Christmas Island and in the Lesser Sundas from Lombok to Sumba and Timor, the Moluccas, southern and eastern New Guinea, New Caledonia and Vanuatu and Australia. Occurs throughout most of the continent but scarce in the arid interior and on much of the central south coast. Also found on Tasmania and most coastal islands. Nomadic or a partial-migrant in parts of Australian range with northward movements recorded, resident elsewhere.

[edit] Taxonomy

Twelve races recognised: natalis on Christmas Island, wallacei from Lombok to Wetar, Damar and Moa, tjendanae on Sumba, stresemanni on Djampea and Tukangbesi Islands, savu on Savu Island, hellmayri on Alor, Samao and Timor, buruensis on Buru, dogwa in southern New Guinea, polycryptus in eastern New Guinea, vigilax on Rennell Island in the Solomons, New Caledonia and Aneiteum in Vanuatu, didimus in northern Australia and fasciatus in the remainder of Australia and Tasmania.

[edit] Habitat

Open forest and woodlands from rainforest to dry scrubland. Often in riverine woodland.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.

They build a stick nest lined with fresh eucalypt leaves. The eggs are incubated by the female.

[edit] External Links